After the Fall of Gaea
by Gyotso
Summary: Just a one-shot of what happened after the war. Not much Percabeth, just mentions of it. If I get enough reviews I may add a chapter of what happens with Annabeth, or maybe an epilogue type chapter... Please review so I know whats good :)


The battle had ended, not quite so long ago. How long had it been, days? Hours? Months? Percy couldn't decide. The war that split his home... killed some of his best friends and even those he didn't like that much... he missed them too.  
Gaea, how he hated her. He was glad to have played a role in her defeat, but no matter what terror she was going through, it wouldn't be enough. She instrumented the deaths of way too many. She killed Leo, because of some promise he had apparently made to Calypso... he broke his oath... Percy couldn't, at the time, understand why Leo was so intent on flying away from New York and towards some mystery place. At least until he saw a familiar coastline...  
He hadn't thought of Calypso much since the war... and it made him depressed, thinking of her gardens, their several dinners together. He always missed being on Ogygia, but he had to stop himself from thinking about it once he and Annabeth started dating... He knew Annabeth was the jealous type, and he knew first hand how territorial she was about her friends... he could only imagine what she'd try and do to Calypso if he started thinking about Calypso while they were together.  
So he accidentally forgot about her... it all seemed so stupid of him. He did the same thing the gods did... he forgot to make sure they kept their promise. He saw progress being made at the camp and forgot his biggest what if? He had been a jerk.  
Calypso had disappeared too. Gaea had tracked the Argo II somehow and managed to find Ogygia, then she destroyed the place. Annabeth guessed that since Calypso and Ogygia were connected, its destruction killed Calypso.  
It made him sick to think about.

He was walking on the beach, hoping for his dad to show up and tell him how proud he was... or even just to say hello. He needed someone, and frankly Annabeth was busy with repairs and all though he promised they'd never be separated again... he didn't mean at all times. He just meant they wouldn't be kidnapped, or separated by war. They didn't have to be right next to ech other. As long as he knew she was safe and likewise for her knowing he was safe, that was good enough.

His dad didn't appear like he so wanted. Neither did Tyson, he was at their dad's palace, still stuck rebuilding it after Oceanus destroyed it a year ago.  
He yearned for someone... anyone outside of the 7 (now 6) demigods. He loved them all like they were his brothers/sisters (except Annabeth he loved her like he loves his girlfriend which is a lot) but no one came. Nico was back in the Underworld, working with his dad and Thanatos getting death(small d) back under control.

He plopped himself down in the sand and looked out to the sea. He yearned to leave... just swim out and not look back... but he would. He could never leave. Reguardless of the ghosts, he couldn't stand to leave Camp Half Blood. It was his home, even if his cabin was burnt down by Octavian.

"Percy Jackson." The voice sent a chill down his spine.  
He turned and saw a lady, about 40, dressed in grey fabrics, with long, curly, blond hair, and piercing grey eyes.  
"Athena." He muttered without thinking.  
"It seems, once again I was wrong."  
He hadn't expected her to say it that way. She basically said, 'Wow I screwed up twice!'  
"What do you mean?" Percy asked, playing dumb.  
"You know full well what I mean Jackson. How my daughter tolerates you I'll never know..." Athena's voice trailed off. "Anyway, thank you."  
"For what?" Percy asked, still barely remembering that Athena didn't like him so he should probably be kissing her butt.  
"For protecting my daughter in Rome... where I failed her. I, one of the wisest beings in the world, was so taken up in my desire for revenge against Rome... I forgot who I was... I forgot how...ah... important my children are to me."  
Percy knew that gods cared for their kids.. most of the time at least. But it was still weird for one of them to say it.  
"Now do you see, Perseus? Even someone as wise as the wisdom goddess can fall..." Athena admitted.  
It made Percy think (it happens on occassion) Luke had fallen... then he got back up and saved the world. Silena... same story. But Athena didn't go evil... welll at least not to Gaea's side.  
"I guess... all falling is.. its a way to learn how to pick yourself up." Percy said. He couldn't remember what, but he distinctly remembered it being said in a movie he and Annabeth had gone to see not long before he was taken by Hera.  
"A wise saying." Athena conceided.  
"May I ask... why you're here? Talking to me, I mean...?" Percy asked.  
"You wonder why I have not gone to face Annabeth?"  
"Yes mam."  
She looked off into the distance, towards the cabins as if she could see Annabeth from here... being a goddess she probably could.  
"Perhaps I am afraid, that she may despise me."  
Neither said a word for several minutes after that.  
"I think I will go talk to her... But Percy..." Athena said, inching in closer to him... then he realized what she called him. "I told you once I do not approve of your relationship with my daughter... do you remember this?"  
He did, it seemed like a lifetime ago... like something that happened a hundred chapters ago in his life... but the remark still left a hole in his heart.  
"I was wrong then too... It is you, who should not approve of my relationship with your girlfriend. Needless to say, I haven't been very motherly towards any of my children... perhaps this is one area your father excels higher than I."  
Athena used big words so it was hard for him to follow, but he caught one word... girlfriend.  
"I was unwise to ignore my children... this must not happen again. Not for any of the gods. You and I must ensure that the children of the gods are not forgotted. Greek, and Roman. The camps must unite, and stay that way. Perhaps not all at the same time... perhaps we could build up to it."  
"Like, once a month have the 2 camps battle in Capture the Flag?" Percy suggested.  
"Or... ummm... War games as the Romans call it."  
"Sounds awesome. Percy admitted.  
Athena turned away and began walking towards the cabins.  
"Oh and Percy?" Athena asked, turning just a bit to face him.  
"Yes mam?"  
"Happy birthday." Athena said waving her hand at him.  
He didn't know what that was about... but he figured he'd find out... soon enough.

He sat back down on the sand and looked at the waves. He looked down at his body and realized how much had changed. His body was tone, and his abs were fighting to show off. He really had come into his own these past few months. But he didnt care about that... he wasn't a kid anymore...He had grown up, what Athena said sunk in... he was 17 now. His childhood was gone... Gaea... Kronos... even the Gods... they took his childhood from him. And even though he loved everything about Camp... he wanted a sense of normalcy... all of his childhood memories consisted of getting kicked out of school and almost dying. Why couldn't he have a chance to be a normal kid?

Nico was quiet when he appeared... but somehow Percy sensed him show up. Something was different.  
"Hey Nico." Percy said, getting up. His attention was drawn to a black satchel at the kids waist.  
"Hey Percy." Nico said, looking at his shoes.  
He wondered what was wrong with the kid.. he looked healthier than he had when they saved him from Otis and Ephialtes...but he looked as glooomy as ever.  
"What's wrong?" Percy asked.  
"Its nothing." Nico said, still looking at his shoes.  
"Its obviously not nothing... talk to me Nico." Percy pleaded.  
Percy sensed the tear... his powers had gotten stronger.. now he could sense almost any amount of water... which is probably how he sensed Nico... his blood.  
Percy grabbed him by the shoulders and made him look him in the eye.  
"Nico... tell me whats wrong."  
More tears were coming... Nico was on the verge of breaking.  
"Nico... you can trust me."  
Nico's eyes met his... and somehow he saw it. Nico's eyes looked like Rachel's did once upon a time... like Annabeth's still did everytime they made eye contact. Nico was... even more different than Percy had thought.  
"Nico... it doesn't matter... who you have feelings for... or what gender they are..." Percy said, trying to find the words.  
"It doesnt matter? How doesn't it matter? I'm... I'm... gay... no one likes gays and no one likes children of Hades." Nico said, his eyes full of tears now.  
"Look at me." Percy said, Nico looked up. "You've saved this camp from war... not once but 3 times. The Labyrinth... the Titan war and now this one. If anyones got a problem with you because you're gay... you have them come talk to me." Percy didn't normally make threats like these... but Nico needed it. He needed someone to protect him.  
"But what if my dad finds out... he all ready hates me."  
"He's been alive for thousands of years... I'm sure curiosity got to him at some point." Percy said.  
"But what if..."  
"Look its not that weird for me to pick fights with immortals. If your dad wants to fight about it... let him. I think I've got a new friend on the Olympian council."  
"Thanks Percy... but no matter what you do... you can't make this feeling go away."  
"No I can't. And I'm in love with Annabeth... I'm sorry."  
"I know.." Nico said turning away.  
"Stay here Nico. This is where we belong. All of us... all the children... of all the gods." Percy said.  
"How do you do it? Make me feel better I mean?"  
"Everyone's got someone that knows the right thing to say." Percy guessed.  
"Then who's yours?"  
Percy almost said Annabeth... then he almost said his mom... but Nico didn't have a mom anymore... and he didn't have an Annabeth.  
"Part of growing up is knowing what to say.." Percy amended.  
"I've got to get back to the Underworld... there's a lot of stuff going on down there... I'll give Camp a try this winter... maybe it could work."  
"Sounds good. Don't be a stranger... and don't talk to strange ghosts." Percy joked, hugging Nico.  
"Wow you sound like a mom... a really weird demigod mom... but a mom." Nico said, almost laughing. Then he seemed to remember something. "With you being so responsible and grown up I almost forgot..." He pulled a small black box from his satchel. "You once told me that it's all right to be a kid once in a while." He put the box in Percy's hand and shadow traveled away.  
There was a small note attached, 'With great power, comes great need to take a nap. Happy birthday Percy. ~Nico'  
He laughed and started walking towards the cabins... he got his wish to see someone... even if it wasn't who expected it to be.  
He reached the edge of the cabins and opened the box. Inside was a small figurine brandishing a trident.  
"Thanks Nico."  
Percy put the lid back on and walked to the mess hall, where undoubtedly everyone would be, as dinner was minutes away from being served.


End file.
